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Hi HN! We're launching Hallway https://hallway.chat to encourage people working from home during this pandemic to socialize more.

This started because my roommate started working from home recently and was sad because he doesn't really talk to anyone anymore. Given that this is the new normal for a while, we hacked together a project to make WFH a little less forlorn!

It prompts you to take a break and join a short 10 min video chat with your co-workers throughout the workday. Just add the bot to a Slack channel, set the frequency and timezone, and it'll ping the channel with a link to a timed video call

It's a fun and simple way to simulate watercooler conversations like when you bump into a friend at work. We want to encourage spontaneous conversation and keep mental health positive during these stressful times

You can also use your own Zoom/Hangouts Meet links for free, but if you don't, we'll generate one for you (it's timed so you still get some work done). It costs us to host video chat rooms so we do have a paid plan, but if we make any profits in the next few weeks, we'll donate it to fight COVID-19

Remember to talk and be social with your co-workers during the workday - don't forget how to speak. Practice social distancing, stay safe and healthy!

I like the idea! It's definitely a good way for trying to bring a little bit of humanity through slacking back into our virtual rooms (pun intended)
Slack is a clever name for a company, isn't it? I bet enterprise doesn't like it though
Cut them a little Slack, will ya? Naming is hard.
This is pretty awesome! Do you mind if I ask what you use for the video chat piece? Any specific lib?
This is great - excited to see more of these tools that make WFH feel less lonely.
It's very cool how many products have sprung up in the last couple of days to take advantage of the workplace changes caused by coronavirus.
The nice thing about builders is that when they see a new problem, they try to fix it. Not everyone comes up with good solutions, but it's the thought that counts. Very inspiring to see people tackling problems from the new WFH situation, CONVID-19 testing, distribution of medical equipment, in-home fitness, social, essentials for the elderly and sick, helping SMBs like restaurants, etc
What if you don't have any co-workers? "Hallway Rouhllete" perhaps a spin-off feature for v2? *powered by a few selective criteria?
That would require some sort of verification otherwise you can't have a serious business environment [0].

[0] by that I mean the nievau shouldn't sink to the likes of reddit or twitter.

I don't quite understand what the paid version provides over the free version. You need Slack to use Hallway, so why would one want to use Hallway's video chat over Slack's built-in one?